Brazil’s A’uwẽ-Xavante people protest railway threatening their lands

Leaders from the A’uwẽ-Xavante people of Brazil’s Centre-West region launched an international campaign in Geneva, Switzerland, to protest the construction of the Center-West Integration Railway (FICO).

The A’uwẽ-Xavante, a group of roughly 25,300 people, view the railway not just as a physical disruption but as a threat to their spiritual and cultural life, particularly their tradition of receiving knowledge through dreams.

They believe the railway will fragment Ró, a concept encompassing the Cerrado biome, their world, and everything connected to their existence. The campaign coincided with the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples meeting in July 2026. The A’uwẽ-Xavante argue that the Brazilian government has failed to adequately consult them before moving forward with the FICO project, which is intended to transport commodities like soybeans and corn.

Anthropological studies show the railway’s path will cross areas vital to their traditions, including gathering grounds, burial sites, and ceremonial locations, disrupting practices essential to maintaining their cultural identity. Infra S.A., the company responsible for the railway, acknowledged in May 2026 that approximately 80 kilometers of the current construction phase depended on completing environmental assessments and negotiations with A’uwẽ-Xavante communities.

The A’uwẽ-Xavante emphasize that the railway is part of a larger pattern of infrastructure projects that threaten Indigenous lands and perpetuate colonial practices, even under the guise of a “green transition.” They insist any project impacting their territories must respect their right to free, prior, and informed consent.